Ice cream containers



Aug. 1, 1961 D. B. KAUFFELD ICE CREAM CONTAINERS Filed April 14, 1960 INVENTOR. DON B. KAUFFELD BY W 2 United States Patent'C 2,994,465 ICE CREAM CONTAINERS Don B. Kauifeld, Lexington, Ky., assignor to Foils Packgglilng Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of filed Apr. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 22,358 10 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) This invention relates to the structure of paperboard blanks and to containers to be made from said blanks, and more particularly relates to an improved container and end closure structure.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved container structure which is leakproof, and especially to provide an improved end structure which is made from blanks having plastic-coated surfaces suitable for the application of heat-sealing techniques wherein the plastic surfaces are welded as distinguished from glued, although the present structure can be glued, if desired, or assembled by using any other adhesive.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an improved end closure structure for a container which can then be made from laminated blanks having a liquid-absorbent core, the structure of the container being such that all of the cut edges of the blank face outwardly of the finished container or are otherwise protected to prevent wetting of the core by the contents of the container, known in the art as wicking.

It is another very important object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and easily set-up container and end closure which is especially adapted for packaging moist or liquid food products, the container being designed to meet the requirements of government food packaging regulations. However, the present container is also suitable for the packaging of other products such as oils, jellies, syrups, acids, alkalies, detergents, bleaches and other solid or liquid products whether hot, cold, or frozen.

Still another major object of the invention is to provide a novel container having heat-sealed seam closures adapted especially for use in packaging frozen foods, such as ice cream, wherein the sealing of the carton after filling with a perishable frozen food is accomplished externally of the carton at positions relatively remote from the contents thereof so as to avoid melting down of said contents during sealing.

Another very important object associated with the previously mentioned object is to reduce to a minimum the transfer of heat into the contents of the carton during sealing thereof by employing layers of metal foil laminated to the surfaces of the blanks of which the container is made, said metal foil conducting the heat away from the vicinity of heat application so that it may be quickly dissipated instead of remaining in the area of the seal to penetrate the container and cause localized melt-down.

It is a further object of the invention to simultaneously provide in the same end structure an external flange-type heat seal designed to keep the heat remote from the container contents and also to provide seam structures wherein the cut edges of the blades are concealed and protected from moisture.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel end structure which is especially strong so as to prevent distortion of the container or damage thereto as a result of dropping, and which end structure is especially well reinforced in the corners which are double-sealed against leakage.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the following discussion of the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank suitable for making the body portion of a container according to the present invention, cut-lines being shown in this figure as solid ice lines, and embossed bend lines being shown as dashed lines;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of'an end blank for a container according to the present invention, the dashed lines indicating embossed bend lines;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a finished container employing one body blank as shown in FIGURE 1 and two end blanks as shown in FIGURE 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing one side of the container opened for access to its contents;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view corresponding with the far righthand corner of the container shown in FIG. 3 and illustrating the body blank of FIG. 1 set up to form a hollow body and illustrating an end blank according to FIG. 2 set inplace but prior to final folding and sealing;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the corner tab folded into its final position;

FIG. 7A is a further enlarged sectional view taken along line 7A7A of FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the end flaps bent into final position and overlying the flanges of the end blank and also overlying the corner tab;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing one form of laminated material from which the blanks and the container shown in the other figures may be made; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a modified form of laminated material also suitable for use in making the blanks and containers of the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. '1, the body blank -1 comprises four main body panels 21, 31, 41 and 51, the lower panel being divided into two sections 51a and 51b by a transverse line of perforations 510, the purpose of this line being hereinafter set forth. The main body panels 21, 31, 41 and 51 have their longitudinal edges defined by crease lines 22', 32, 42, 52 and 62, the latter crease line separating flaps 61a and 61b from the main panel sections 51a and 51b, respectively. At the other end of the blank, the longitudinal bend line 22 separates the panel 21 from an auxiliary tab 11 which can be seen in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

Along the sides of the body blank 1 are located a plurality of end flaps 23--24, 33-34, 43--44, and 53-5 4 attached respectively to the main panels 21, 31, 41 and 5'1 at transverse crease lines 25-26, 35-36, 4546 and 55-56. Each of the end flaps mentioned above is defined'by cuts which extend initially into each blank, substantially intersecting the adjacent transverse crease line,

each of these cuts being either parallel with the nearest longitudinal bend line or else inclined at an angle thereto as shown, for instance, in FIGS. 1, 6- and 7. Each adjacent pair of cut lines defines a corner-sealing tab, the talis being numbered 2728, 37-38, 47-48 and 5758. For instance, the tab 38, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, is separated from the end flaps 34 and 44 by cut lines 34a and 44a, as best illustrated in FIG. 6. The purpose of these tabs will be defined more fully hereinafter.

Referring now to FIG. 2, this figure shows one of the end blanks of which two are required to complete a fully enclosed container. The end blank shown in FIG. 2 is referred to generally by the reference character 2, and further includes four end flaps 3, 4, 5 and 6 all of which are mutually joined with the main panel of the end blank by embossed crease lines labeled 7, 8, 9 and 10. Note that the corners of the end blank are cut out so that when the flanges are folded around the crease lines 7, 8, 9 and the short edges of the flanges will abut to form a corner which in the finished container precisely underlies one of the tabs.

Referring now to "FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that each end flap isinserted inside the hollow polygonal body formed by the blank 1 when set up, the end blanks being oriented so that the flanges, such as the flanges 4 and 5 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 face outwardly of the finished container .and so that the outermost cut edges of these end flanges 3, 4,5 and 6 are aligned with. the transverse creaselines v56, '46, 36 and;26, respectively. In other words, the outermostedges of the flanges 4 and 5 in FIG. 6 lie along the crease lines36 and46 of the body blank 1.

When the end blanks are set in place as shown in FIG. 6, they may be sealed to the body blank for the purpose of holding them in place,.and then the tabs corresponding with the four corners may be folded inwardly to overlie the flanges, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A where the tab 38 is folded-inwardly to overlie the flanges 4 and 5 of the corner formed by their meeting. Note that when the main panels 21, 31, 41 and 51 are bent around the crease lines 22, 32, '42, 52. and 62 to form the hollow body, a bead such as the bead 42a is raised inside each bend, FIG. 7A, and each of these beads abuts the short edges of'the adjacent fianges, such as flanges 4 and 5 in FIG. 7A, and provides a better seal in each corner. The plastic in the beads fuses with theends oftheflanges during welding of the corner structure and also fuses with'the adjacent tabs such as the tab 38 in FIG. 7A, which is bent along the longitudinal crease line 42 during the closing step so that the tab 38 which was originally flat as shown in FIG. 6 becomes concave as shown in FIG. 7. Finally, the main end flaps 24, 34, 44 and 54 of the body blank 1 are folded inwardly to overlie both the flanges and the tabs, as shown in FIG. 8 wherein the flap 34 is folded inwardly to overlie the end flange 4 and the portion of the tab 38 abutting this end flange, and the flap 44 is folded inwardly to overlie the flange 5 and also to overlie the portion of the tab 38 which abuts the flange 5. Also note that the cut edges of the body blank 1 along the longer, edges of the end flaps 34-.'44, etc. now abut against the flat panel surface of the end blank 2 and are protected thereby. When all of the end flaps have been folded inwardly and overlie the flanges and tabs, the peripheralexternal edges of the container end are then subjected to heat sealing and pressure so as to seal all of the flaps and tabs together and-form a final bond therebetween. As stated above, when the asasembly has progressed to the stage shown in FIG. 6, the end flanges of the end panels may be sealed to the main panels and to the beads inside each longitudinal bend as a preliminary step in order to hold the-end panels inplace, but this is not necessary at this stage of the assembly. If desired, the panels may be held in place by some other means while the end flaps, for instance 34 and 44, are folded inwardly prior to final heat sealing of the entire end assembly.

Also, as stated in the objects of this invention, the joints need not necessarily be heat-sealed joints, but may be held together by other adhesive means if desired.

In addition, the main seam which forms the hollow polygonal body prior to insertion of the end panels can be sealed at any state in the proceedings. On a practical basis, however, it is probably desirable that the longitudinal seam forming the hollow body'be sealed prior to sealing of the end panels. With particular reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, it will be seen thatthe body blank 1 has an auxiliary flap 11 joined to the body panel 21 along the longitudinal bend line 22. This auxiliary flap is bent outwardly as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 so that its cut edge 11a, FIG. 1, faces outwardly of the container and istherefore not wetted by the contents thereof. The closure flapsfila and 61b are then brought downwardly over the auxiliary flap 11 and are sealed against- ,the bodypanel 21 of the container below the edge 11a of the auxiliary flap, FIG. 5.

This structure provides means whereby the container need not be opened on both sides simultaneously, but instead the panel 51b can remain closed while the panel 51a is opened, or vice versa, as shown in FIG. 4. The transverse line of perforations 510 provides a weakened junction between the panels 511: and 51b along which the container may be torn open as shown in FIG. 4. For instance, if two flavors of ice cream are packaged in the present container, either flavor can be used, without necessity of opening the entire container and exposing the other flavor, simply by tearing up one of the closure flaps 61a or 61b to break its seal along panel 21and then tearing the panel 51 of the container directly in half along the transverse line of perforations 51c.

Referring now to FIG. 9, this figure shows on an enlarged scale a laminated materialsuitable for making the present blanks and containers. This laminate comprises a core of virgin kraft K coated on both sides with a plastic. This plastic should be a heat scalable material such as polyethylene P, at least on the inner surface of the container, and for the sake of appearance the outer surface of the container should also be coated with aplastic material which may also be polyethylene, or which may alternatively comprise some other coating such as vinyl V, it merely being necessary that the outer coating V will bond to the polyethylene P of the inner coating when heat is applied thereto so that the carton may be heat sealed by the above mentioned steps which closely resemble welding.

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9 except that a metal foil F is interposed between the outer plastic coating V and the innercore K for the sake of dissipating heat from the vicinity of an area being heat-sealed'so as to prevent the heat in that area from reaching the contents of the container with such intensity that the contents are melted down and therefore damaged. This foil F can be laminatedto the kraft core K by any suitable adhesive, the method of attachment of foil to a kraft core being known per se in the prior art. This disclosure is not to be limited, however, to any particular adhesive, and as stated above it is only necessary that at least one of the plastics be a weldable type which can be sealed at a temperature low enough that the kraft K will not be damaged by the heat applied.

It is also contemplated that the laminate may have other cores than the kraft core referred to above.

Although the cross-sectional shape of the container illustrated in the drawing is rectangular, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to this shape, but may be triangular, square, hexagonal, or any other polygonal shape as may be desired.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a body blank having body panels folded along longitudinal bend lines and joined along a longitudinal seam to form a hollow polygonal body and having at least one end closed byan end blank including an end panel and a plurality of end flanges bent at right angles to the end panel andiitted into the hollow body with the flanges facing outwardly thereof, each closed end of the container having end flaps forming a part of the body blank and joining the body panels at transverse crease lines parallel with the outer edges of said end flanges, the end flaps being mutually separated by two cuts near each longitudinal bend line but mutually spaced on opposite side thereof to leave a tab in each corner attached to the body blank along the adjacent converging transverse crease lines, each, tab being folded inwardly to overlie the flanges of the .end blank meeting in the associated corner and being sealed thereto, and the end flaps being. folded inwardly to overlie the flanges and tabs and sealed to both.

2. In a container as set forth in claim 1, said blanks each having atleast one surface made of a heat-fusible plastic material having a melting point below the temperature at which the other materials in the blank would be damaged.

3. In a container as set forth in claim 1, said blanks comprising paperboard cores coated with heat-fusible plastic material, and at least one side of the blank including a metal foil laminated to the core beneath said plastic coating, whereby when the container seams are heat sealed together the metal foil will quickly dissipate the heat from the area to which it is applied.

4. In a container as set forth in claim 1, two of said body panels having longitudinal flaps along the seam where said panels are joined to form said hollow body, the flap on one panel being narrower than the flap on the other panel and being bent outwardly of the container to partly overlie the surface of the body panel to which it is attached, and the wider flap overlapping the narrower flap and being sealed to the said surface.

5. A container comprising a body blank having body panels folded along longitudinal bend lines and joined along a longitudinal seam to form a hollow polygonal body and having its ends closed by end blanks each including an end panel and a plurality of end flanges bent at right angles to the end panel and fitted into the hollow body with the flanges facing outwardly thereof, each end of the container having end flaps forming a part of the body blank and joining the body panels at transverse crease lines parallel with the outer edges of said end flanges, the end flaps being mutually separated by two cuts near each longitudinal bend line but mutually spaced on opposite sides thereof to leave a tab in each corner attached to the body blank along the adjacent converging transverse crease lines, each tab being folded inwardly to overlie the corners of the flanges of the end blank and being sealed thereto, and the end flaps being folded inwardly to substantially cover the flanges and tabs and sealed to both.

6. In a container as set forth in claim 5, said blanks each having at least one surface made of a heat-fusible plastic material having a melting point below the temperature at which the other materials in the blank would be damaged.

7. In a container as set forth in claim 5, said blanks comprising paperboard cores coated with heat-fusible plastic material, and at least one side of the blank in cluding a metal foil laminated to the core beneath said plastic coating, whereby when the container seams are heat sealed together the metal foil will quickly dissipate the heat from the area to which it is applied.

8. In a container as set forth in claim 5, two of said body panels having longitudinal flaps along the seam where said panels are joined to form said hollow body, the flap on one panel being narrower than the flap on the other panel and being bent outwardly of the container to partly overlie the surface of the body panel to which it is attached, and the wider flap overlapping the narrower flap and being sealed to the said surface.

9. An end closure for a polygonal container having body panels joined along longitudinal edges, comprising an end panel having a plurality of end flanges bent at right angles to the end panel and fitted into the container body with the flanges facing outwardly thereof; end flaps forming a part of the container body and joining the body panels at transverse crease lines parallel with the outer edges of the end flanges, the end flaps being mutually separated by a pair of cuts located near each corner and extending to a crease line but spaced to leave a tab in each corner attached to thebody blank along the crease lines converging thereat, each tab being folded inwardly to overlie the corner meeting of two flanges and being sealed thereto, and the end flaps being folded inwardly over the flanges and tabs and sealed to both.

10. In a closure as set forth in claim 9, the end flaps and tabs precisely covering the flanges, and the transverse edges of the flaps and tabs abutting said end panel.

No references cited. 

